A Second Chance
by SteamPunkSnowWhite
Summary: It had been fifteen years since the Wizard War when he woke up. Stiff and confused, trapped within a pine box. What happened, how did he get here? All that he can remember is Hogwarts, and the desire to return there.
1. Resurection

Chapter 1

Resurrection

There was a loud gasp as his mouth opened to let in a burst of damp, stale air. The very feeling of it seemed to burn his throat and his lungs. He could not open his eyes, or were they already open? He could not tell, but he assumed he was in complete darkness. That thought was more comforting than the idea of being blind. As he attempted to turn, to move, he realized he could not. It was as if some force was keeping him down, but he wondered what it was. He spent a few moments thinking of every spell he could that may cause such reactions in the human body. He could not think of something that would leave him paralyzed for an extended period of time. Not only that, but he could not recall anyone casting a spell on him at all. Actually, he was finding it hard to remember much of anything that may have lead to this. There was a moment of panic as he tried to think about what may have caused all of this.

His memories were that of Hogwarts, classes, his fellow professors… But nothing recent, at least, that's what he assumed. One does not just end up in a dark place, unable to move, not without just cause.

He tried to lift his arms, but they felt heavy, like bricks were tied to them. Same thing with his fingers, legs and toes. The only thing he felt like he could do right now was breath, and each breathe felt like it was going to start his lungs ablaze.

After what seemed to him like an eternity, his lungs finally stopped burning, at least, not as badly. He felt like this may be a good time to see if he could use his extremities again. His attempts were much better this time. There was not much movement, but he could twist his wrists and flex his fingers. The effort was tiring for such little results, but it was better than nothing.

His hands slowly slid against the soft surface they rest upon. It felt like silk, but it also felt worn out and covered in a layer of dust, or perhaps it was dirt. Vision had still not returned, so he had to rely on his other senses.

That was when he felt it, cold and smooth beneath his fingertips. A smile crossed his lips, or at least, he tried to smile. It was almost as if the muscles in his body were no longer existent. That would make sense, why he couldn't move them, why they felt heavy, like someone had filled them with lead. There was no spell to accomplish such a result, not on the long term scale. Then again, he didn't know if this was long term or not.

The worst part was the uncertainty, the not knowing, the sinking feeling of helplessness that came from within his chest as he struggled to figure out where he was. Each breath continued to get easier and less painful. He tried again to open his eyes, and this time he could feel them open, but nothing changed. There was still nothing but complete darkness around him. Was it really dark, or was he blind? Was this another effect of what ever curse he was under? He could not tell, not yet.

He lifted his left hand and was pleased when it left the soft fabric beneath it. He struggled and could feel his whole arm trembling as he lifted it, but it suddenly stopped. The back of his hand hit another soft, fabric surface and his heart sank. He slid his hand across the low ceiling and then down the side until it arrived back in its starting position against the floor.

This was a coffin. Someone had paralyzed him and then buried him alive. How torturous "_… But wait…_" He used his left hand and wrapped his fingers around the smooth, polished wooden object. The feeling of confusion washed over him again. When your goal is to bury someone alive, and ultimately torture them to death in the cruelest way possible, you do not bury them with their wand.

None of this seemed to add up. Who would do such a cruel thing, let alone as a joke? Did he really have enemies who hated him so deeply. Of course he did. He could only imagine that it was a former student who was still bitter from his harsh lectures and strict grading system.

None of this mattered, not yet. What did matter, now that he knew where he was, he knew that there would only be so much time to get out. Air supply would be limited in such a small area. He did not know how long he had been here, or how much of his oxygen he had already used.

"H… H-hello…" He said softly to himself. His voice sounded very tired and far from himself. It also seemed to end very abruptly, making him wonder if he had spoken at all, or if he just imagined it. He needed to know if his voice worked, it was the only way he was going to get out of this.

He lifted his wand the best he could and waved it. He thought of the single place he remembered most clearly. He held the image within his mind and finally managed to speak.

"Portus" He spoke confidently, his voice finally having returned to him. He could feel the magic around him then. It seemed to make him feel stronger, or at least more comforted. This meant that there were no barriers, courses, or locking spells placed upon his prison.

He touched the walls and could feel himself spinning, or rather, he could feel the coffin around him spinning. He closed his eyes tightly, not like it made a difference other than in his mind. After only a few seconds, everything went very still. He placed both of his hands upon the lid of the box, and was feeling much stronger now. He pushed, and the lid opened with ease. He groaned softly as he sat up and pushed the lid completely open. Small handfuls of dirt fell upon him as they fell from the lid, but it did not bother him. He finally threw the lid aside and sat up, but he was not where he had expected to be.

He had imagined the most serene place, the place that he knew like no other… His old room. His room at Hogwarts, but that was no where to be seen. There were no shelves of books, or tables full of ingredients.

There was just woods, and darkness, but he could see now. There was some moonlight trickling through the branches of the trees. His heart sank for a moment upon realizing where he was.

The dark forest was not his ideal place, not in his current state. He slowly stood up, but his legs felt like jelly beneath him. After a few moments of grasping the sides of the coffin for stability, he managed to stand on his own.

If he did not know of the horrors that lurked in every corner of this forest, he would believe it to be quite beautiful. The way the white moonlight was shining down upon the dark tree's, making them look like crystal. He took a small breath and smiled as it did not burn his lungs. The smell of dirt and wood filled his nose and it was positively delightful. He slowly stepped out of the coffin and looked around, still holding his wand tightly in his right hand.

He looked around, and could hear creatures moving in the distance. This was a good sign. When silence fell, then there would be trouble. He looked up at the sky, trying to see the stars through the branches, but he got a general sense of what direction he had to go in order to find where he wanted to go.

His first few steps were very shaky and uneasy, as if he were a toddler, simply learning to walk. The feeling did not last. It only took a minute or two for his legs to remember how to move properly. They still felt weak and heavy, but no where near as severely as before.

He walked across the uneven ground, tripping occasionally on a rock or a root that he could not see in the darkness. He thought about summoning a light, but also thought that it would give the creatures of the woods a better idea of his whereabouts. He did not want that. He was still so tired and groggy. He did not have the fight in him right now to survive anything large, or anything in a herd to attack him.

As he walked, his mind raced, trying to figure out what had happened to him. His steps were very quiet and this slowed his pace some, but stealth was a great skill to have, even when not feeling normal.

That was when he felt it, like a surge of power washing over him. He had crossed onto the grounds of Hogwarts. The magic in the air was so strong it nearly knocked the wind out of him, but more than that, it gave him a sense of being home. He looked around before raising his wand again. He felt as though he had enough strength to do just one more spell, before finally needing to rest.

He quickly spun and was pulled into the magic. He braced himself as best he could, but it felt as though someone had dropped an anvil upon his chest, making it impossible to breath. His ears popped and his eyes felt as though they were being pushed back into his skull forcefully.

The feelings did not last, as he was able to open his eyes, he realized exactly where he was, and this time, it was exactly where he wanted to go.

"Headmistress! Headmistress!" A large painting with a young woman wearing elegant, white robes, called frantically. The poor girl in the painting looked as though she had been sleeping, but was now wide awake. Her eyes wild with fear and distress as she attempted to wake the headmaster.

"Hmph…" The Headmistress groaned before slowly sitting up from her slumber and looking up at the painting with sleepy eyes. "What is it my child? Is everything alright?" She said with a small yawn.

"There is an intruder in the castle. The other paintings are already on their way to fetch the other heads of houses…" She explained frantically. "We felt them when they entered grounds, from the Forbidden Forest." She said with a small whimper in her voice before shaking her head. "We believe they went to the Slytherin house, but we can't tell. It is almost as if we lost them. Please, you must hurry. We can not afford to let anything happen to the children."

"Has anyone seen this person? Have the paintings from Slytherin said anything yet?"

"Not yet, but we are quickly trying to get what they know. I pray that they are able to wake Professor Devereux. Her paintings should be awake, seeing as they were aware of her past that brought her here."

"Oh my, we do not think that the intruder is Francois, do we?" Headmistress said hurriedly as she stood and dressed in her robes and her tall hat. She did not bother with trying to dress to well, but well enough to show that she expected to stay awake until this whole dilemma was solved.

"No one knows yet-" She said before an older knight began running through the pictures on the wall until he stood beside the younger woman.

"Headmistress… We need you, now."

"Do you know who the intruder is?"

"We think so… But it's not possible. It has to be a magic spell, or a curse, or a deception. We need to you verify. Only you would know for sure."

"Who do you believe it is?"

"Headmistress, please! He is in Professor Devereux's room. She is not safe until we know for sure who he is and what he wants."

"So, it is a man?" She questioned before grabbing her and and walking from her room, down the hidden, spiral staircase and into the main hall. She looked around and could see the other professors walking the halls with their wands lit. At least she knew that their houses would be safe, but what of Professor Devereux? She prayed that the young woman was not in any danger as she walked down the hall at a healthy click and headed toward the Slytherin dorms.

He looked around the room and his comfort quickly turned to dismay as his eyes searched the dark room. It was hard to see without a light, but he could tell that furniture had moved and things were very clearly missing.

His shelves filled with books were completely gone. What on earth could have happened to them? This was a very elaborate prank that someone was trying to play on him.

"Lumos" He whispered quietly and a small, white light began to shine from the tip of his wand. He took a step but quickly stopped as a wave of nausea washed over him. He hadn't thought of that before using the teleportation spell. He gagged slightly before bending over. He refused to vomit on his own floor in such a barbaric fashion. He searched the room very quickly before crossing it and walking into the small bathroom that was attached. He closed the door behind himself, just in case. He bent over and finally lost control of his body.

The fit of sickness did not last long, but when it was over, he was horrified as he saw maggots and other disgusting creatures in the toilet. He stood up straight and covered his mouth. He could taste blood, but it was not fresh. It was old, rotted, and thick. He swallowed nervously before looking into the mirror. He held his wand up with a trembling hand and nearly screamed upon the sight of his own reflection.

He looked like only a hallow shell of his former self. He touched the mirror before touching his own face. His cheeks were hallow, as if he had not eaten well in far too long. He was a skeleton with skin. His eyes were slightly sunk in, but seemed to be adjusting themselves back to normal. He had never had teleportation take so much out of him before.

That was when there was a knock at the door.

"Is someone in there?" A gentle voice called. I very clearly belonged to a woman. She seemed frightened, but also very concerned. There was a faint accent, but he could not place it, not through the door. It sounded almost French, or perhaps German.

"Who are you and why are you in my dwelling space?" He asked forcefully as he stepped closer to the door. He grabbed the handle, ready to fight back if he absolutely had to.

"Your room? What are you talking about? This has been my room for the last four years." She explained through the door. "How did you even get in here? I demand answers before I blow this door open." She said, more forcefully this time.

"How dare you threaten me!" He said, feeling enraged by her statements. He pulled the door open to see a young woman.

She was stunning, but could hardly be old enough not to be a student. Her face was smooth and very pale, and her eyes shimmered like Emeralds in the light of his wand. She wore a black robe, but that was all. Her own wand was raised and ready as she looked up at him.

Within an instant, her face went from rage to fear as she looked upon him. She almost lowered her wand, but then shook her head slightly.

"State your business here." She said angrily as she looked at him, her eyes and voice unwavering, though she was afraid.

"I am simply returning to my home, nothing more. I have no interest in starting a fight. Lower your wand, or you will regret it." He warned calmly as he lowered his own wand, but continued to keep a tight grip upon it.

"This is not your home. This is a school, and this is the dorm for the head of this dormitory. I believe you have come to the wrong place. It would be wise for you to leave."

"I am not leaving. I know exactly where I am. How dare you treat me like a bloody fool!" He said more angrily. "I am head of Slytherin house and I know exactly where I am. What I want to know, is where my things are. My books, my ingredients, my potions, all of it! My things are no longer here and I demand an explanation!"

"Professor Devereux, Professor Devereux!" An elder woman's voice called from down the staircase. The footsteps that could be heard were fast and frantic as they climbed the stairs.

"Headmistress!" Professor Devereaux called, her voice trembling now as she took a few steps back from this strange, disgusting looking man.

"Professor Devereux, are you alright? I was informed that there is an intruder in the castle! Please, let me know if you are alright!" She said as she began climbing the stairs even faster.

"I'm fine, but I think this man is lost." She said with a trembling voice as her eyes darted toward the staircase. "He thinks he is the head of Slytherin. I think he may be under a spell of some sort."

"That is absurd." Headmistress scoffed as she reached the top of the stairs. She hurried to the side of the other woman before turning to look at the intruder.

She gasped and nearly screamed before dropping her wand. Her heart plummeted in her chest and she felt as though she was going to be sick, or cry, or collapse. Maybe she would do all three.

"How on earth did you get here?" She questioned, her lower lip quivering as tears began to sting her eyes.

"I know that voice…" He whispered softly as he raised his wand. His wand lit up her face and his own face immediately grew soft upon looking at her. Though she looked vastly different, it was not hard for him to recognize her. It looked as though time had sped up for her, and he wanted to know why. He lowered his wand again and let out a relieved sigh.

"Minerva, it is just you." He said with a small smile. "Wait…" He said as things began to click together in his mind. "How come everyone is calling you Headmistress, Minerva?"

"Oh my…" She said as tears finally began spilling down over her cheeks. She took a few nervous steps toward him before nervously placing a hand upon his face. His skin was stiff and cold as ice, but it seemed to warm almost instantly beneath her touch. His face began to regain color and become more lively when she touched him. She pulled her hand back before wrapping her arms around him and holding him as tightly to herself as she possibly could.

She knew that he would not appreciate her sudden outburst of affection, but she did not care. She felt as though she was seeing a ghost, because in all reality, she was.

"Minerva." He groaned softly before placing his hands upon her shoulders. "Please, contain yourself. I believe that we can remain professional, can't we?" He said sternly before pushing her from himself.

Minerva pulled away without a fight and wiped her eyes before looking upon him, her face turning to stone as she did so.

"We need to talk. You should sit down."

"You're right. We do. Why is this child in my room? Where are my things?" He demanded as he sat down upon the cushioned chair that sat beside the bookshelf that was still remaining. "I demand an explanation."

"You died, Severus." Minerva said sternly, but her lip quivered as she spoke the words, as if she herself did not want to believe them.

"That can not be possible. I have not been-"

"You were killed by Lord Voldemort. You died Severus, during the last Wizard war… I do not understand how you can be here right now."

Severus opened his mouth to speak, but then stopped. Everything started to make sense to him now. He could not move when he first woke because his body was rotted from death. It must have taken a very powerful wizard to bring him back into the living world. Who on earth would risk so much to bring a man back from the dead? He felt that horrible pain in his chest again as the world felt as though it was crumbling around him.

"Minerva… How… How long have I..?"

"F-fifteen years, Severus…"

"Fifteen years!" He exclaimed as he looked up at her. "Why. Why would someone bring be back to life now? What am I supposed to do now?" He groaned as he stood up, holding his head as he tried to wrap his mind around all of it.

"Severus, you will always have a home here, I promise you that. Please, relax…" She said before flicking her wand, causing the candles in the room to light, filling it with a warm glow.

"You are Headmistress now, Minerva? What happened to Dumbledore?" He questioned softly.

"Severus… You don't remember?"

"Remember what?"

"Severus… You killed Dumbledore…" She whispered softly before placing a gentle hand upon his arm. "You need to rest now. Odette."

"Yes, Headmistress?" Professor Devereux responded as she looked at Minerva.

"Please, take care of him. Give him what ever potions you can to help him get his strength back, and see if you can't place where the magic that brought him back originated from."

"Absolutely." Odette said with a small nod before she stepped over and knelt before Snape, looking up at him. "I'm going to need to touch you, is that alright?"

"As long as you put your wand down." He said sternly as he looked down at her. She frowned before looking up at Headmistress McGonagall.

"Do as he says, child. I must go let the rest of the Professors know that the threat has been handled… And I must make a few calls. I trust that you will take good care of him." She said sternly before looking at Snape. "She is very wise beyond her years. Please, do not be rude to her."

"I make you no promises." He groaned with a small sigh.

Odette reluctantly put her wand back into her robe pocket as she looked up at him. She raised her hands and gently placed them upon his cold cheeks. She smiled as color began to return to his face, as if her touch was able to start his blood flow again. His eyes began to look less sunken, and she could feel his cheeks filling beneath her touch.

He took a small breath as he felt her hands upon his face. This was the first time since he had woken up, that he could feel his heart beating in his chest. This little act of kindness was making him feel more alive than he had previously. He wanted to speak to her, but he knew that she could not answer any of his questions. If she was as young as he thought, and he truly had been dead for fifteen years, she wouldn't know anything. She would have been but a child during the wizard war.

"You poor man-"

"Please don't." He snapped impatiently as he looked down at her.

"I was only trying to-"

"I know what you were trying to do, but I do not want your pity. I do not want to be treated like a sick puppy. I am far too strong for that, I do not have time for the emotions that make people feel weaker than they are, so do not try. I do not need your concern or your comfort. What I need are my things, to find a new home to go to, to figure out what happened and why someone would have brought me back."

"I was not trying to offend you, but only offer my sympathy. I could not imagine the pain you are going through right now. Do you remember anything from before you died?" She questioned softly as she removed her hands from his face and tenderly placed her hands upon his own. His were very thin, bony, and cold. She ignored the feeling of dread she felt from touching him, because she knew that it was helping him. However, it was taking a great deal out of her. It was almost as though his body was a sponge, absorbing her power as she touched it.

"I don't remember anything, nothing important. All of my memories have this room still as my own, Dumbledore as Headmaster. I do not remember killing him… But I do… I remember Lily." He said suddenly as he closed his eyes. "I remember Lily dying…" As he spoke, he dreaded the feeling of sorrow and loss that he knew would wash over him… But it did not. For the first time since her death, he did not feel sorrow or pain in knowing that she was gone. He remembered a few years after that, at least, that's what he thought. He remembered her child.. Harry…

What had happened to him before death to cause such a reaction? It made him feel both pleasure and immense pain knowing that her death did not affect him any longer. He knew that now, finally, after all of these years… He would be able to let her go. At the same time, however, he had lost his one connection to feeling like a normal man, with feelings and emotions, just like everyone else.

His anchor to reality had finally been lost. He knew that it was only a matter of time now before he drifted out to sea, lost in the current of his own distain for humanity, never allowed to be a normal man again.

"She must have meant a lot to you if you remember her after so long." Odette whispered sadly. "You're a very fortunate man."

"What on earth makes you say that?" He groaned, feeling very irritated with her at this point.

"I just mean… You were able to love another person, so deeply, that even in death, they are one of the most significant things that you remember. Not many people find that level of love in their lifetime. Not only that, but look at you now, you have been given a second chance at life…"

"You don't understand." He snapped bitterly before reaching down and grabbing her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye. "She… Never loved me…"

"You don't know that." She whispered softly before placing her own hands upon his again and closing her eyes. "Besides… Just to be able to love someone so deeply is a gift… So many of us never find that person. You may think it was unfortunate, because she did not love you back… But feeling love will forever be better than feeling nothing at all. Feeling numb is the worst…. Feeling pain, from loving so much, is better." She laughed sadly before she nervously removed his hand from her face and stood up. "I will change the sheets on the bed quick, and you can sleep in here for a while. I need to get up soon anyway, to finalize my lesson plan before my first class in the morning." She said quietly before she turned and walked to a large dresser. She opened the bottom drawer and pulled out black sheets, which were neatly folded.

She quickly stripped her bed of blankets and the sheets before replacing them by hand. He found himself wondering why she wasn't using magic.

"That is very kind of you, but I do not understand why you are being so kind to me." He said with a small laugh before standing up. "I am quite clearly not a very kind or sociable man."

"But Minerva likes you." She pointed out with a small smile before putting the blankets back upon the bed. "That is all that matters… Besides, if you are who you say you are, and who Minvera thinks you are, you're a hero. You saved so many lives, and your self sacrifice will never be forgotten by anyone who ever attends Hogwarts. Your painting still hangs here, there's even a memorial for you."

"There's… What?" He whispered softly as he walked toward you. "You can not be serious? I don't even know how I died…"

"Minerva already told you, you were killed by… The dark lord, he who shall not be named… He ended your life. That is why it is so remarkable that you are standing here now. Someone very strong, and who liked you very much clearly sacrificed so much for you, just to bring you back."

"I don't-"

"There is only one spell I am aware of that can bring someone back from the dead, and it requires someone else to die in doing so… But the person who is sacrificed must be willing. If they are not, the spell will not work. Someone not only was strong enough to bring you back, but also found someone else who knew you and wanted to give their life for you. You say you're not a kind man, but you must be. At least… There was someone who was willing to die for you, the way you were willing to die for so many others."

"How do you know so much…?" He asked quietly as he looked at her.

"I studied the war quite a bit. I am from France and I did not witness most of it. We were outside, looking in. It was horrible, but I stayed up to date on what was happening. The death toll was so… Awful… But there were a few heroes who were highlighted after the ordeal. You were one of them…"

"I want to know what happened…."

"You will, but we need to find the surviving members of your group first. Minerva will, I'm sure of it. You will know what happened, but for now… Sleep."

"I have been asleep for fifteen years, I do not want to sleep!" He shouted angrily before glaring down at her. "I do not have time to listen to the orders of a child." He scoffed before he turned from her and headed down the staircase, disappearing from her sight.

"I hope he feels better soon…" She said softly to herself before sitting down upon her bed and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She knew that now was not the time to go chasing after this strange man, but she couldn't help to be worried about him. She hoped that someone would be able to help him remember what happened.


	2. Accepting Reality

Severus quickly left the Slytherin dormitories and began walking down a long hall, trying to remember how to get to his old classroom. His pace was hurried and silent, something he had been quite good at in his past life. He walked through the halls like a ghost, but he could hear the paintings whispering around him. He knew how strange it must be for all of them to see him again after so long. He found himself wondering what time was like for them, perpetually trapped within a flat surface like that.

Everything looked familiar, but not quite how he had remembered it. There was a smell in the air, but he couldn't quite place it. Despite the feeling of unease he experienced, it was oddly comforting. He slowly raised a hand and traced his fingers against the smooth, carved stone. He closed his eyes and let out a small sigh as he tried to let himself relax, but it wasn't happening. He knew he wouldn't be at ease here, not for a long time yet. That fact did not stop him from hoping.

It occurred to him then, that he did not know who was left at Hogwarts. Yes, he had already run into Minerva, but it was very clear that time had aged her quite a bit. He couldn't remember the last three years before dying; at least, those are the years he couldn't quite pinpoint, not yet.

He looked at the walls, and could see the repairs that must have been made. He found himself wondering how much of the war happened here. Perhaps he would make it a point to ask the paintings, or perhaps the ghosts when he had a chance.

"Severus! Severus, stop!" A squeaky woman's voice called from behind him. The footsteps following sounded like the stride was long, but the pace was quick. He slowly turned around to see a very tall, very muscular running toward him. She was wearing clean, white robes and she smelled of disinfectant and eye of newt, even from the distance. She had to be at least six foot, but it was hard to tell from a distance. She had dark hair that was tied up in a very neat bun. There were streaks of gray that reflected silver when the candlelight flickered. She had small bags under her eyes. She was clearly tired and already fed up with his behavior. The way he saw it, as soon as she left him alone, the sooner this situation would end. He was not doing anything wrong. All he wanted to do was go back to his classroom, and try to solve his dilemma by himself.

"I don't know who you are." Severus said sternly, though he had a good idea as to who she was. He did not have time with this nonsense. He was fine and did not need assistance from anyone. He had always been able to take care of himself just fine.

"I'm Henrietta, the Nurse. Please, let me help you." She said, her voice more stern as she approached him. "You clearly are not doing well, please, let me help you!"

"I do not need your help. I have clearly been doing just fine without you. I survived my coffin, made it back here. I have no one to rely on and I am not about to start now." He snapped back angrily before raising his wand. "Do not take one more step near me."

"Severus, stop!" Odette cried out as she ran down the hallway, her black robes billowing around her like a dark cloud as she walked. "You are distraught. I cannot possibly understand how hard this is for you, but you need to lower your wand. What kind of a message do you want to send to the children!" She protested, her accent showing more clearly now. He was positive that it was French.

"What children!" Severus laughed disdainfully. He raised his arms and looked around, spinning slightly, but never fully turning his back to the Amazon nurse who stood down the hall. He could tell that she was just waiting for a moment to contain him.

What he hadn't expected to see when he turned, was Minerva. She had a hard look upon her face, but there was a small child, likely a first year student, standing to her left. He looked sleepy, as if they had just woken him up. He wore very plain, blue and white striped pajama's, that had been repaired a few times in the knees and elbows.

"Severus, I have someone who would like to meet you." Minerva said with a caring tone in her voice. More than anything else, she was worried about her friend. The kind of trauma he was experiencing was inhuman. She did not know who brought him back, but she desperately wanted to know why.

What kind of living person would want to wish this upon anyone, and why did they wait so long? Was their only purpose to make a miserable man, and take away the only peace he had ever felt?

"Who is the child, Minerva?" He snapped hastily as he turned to face her, not yet lowering his wand. He focused on her face, but she was giving her nothing. She was utterly unreadable in that moment. This caused him to focus his attention on the child that was standing beside him. His eyes went wide and he shook his head for a brief moment.

"Go ahead, tell him your name." Minerva urged softly as she placed a warm hand upon the child's left shoulder.

"But mum told me not to talk to strangers…" The child protested softly. He had short, brown hair, and round glasses. He looked familiar, but Severus could not quite place from where he knew this child.

No. He did not know this child. There was absolutely no possible way that he knew this child. He had been dead for fifteen years, and could not remember approximately three years before that. This child could not have been any older than eleven, maybe twelve at the oldest. This sent his mind reeling as he struggled to piece it together.

"He is not a stranger. You never met him, but your father knew him. His name is Severus." Minerva explained with a tender smile before squeezing the child's shoulder again.

"Severus…?" The child said before turning to look at the older, crazy looking man. He did know this man; at least, he knew the stories. "You're Severus Snape? Father said you died."

"Who is your father, Child?" Severus asked softly as he continued to focus on the young man.

"Harry Potter. My name is Albus Severus Potter." Albus said nervously, obviously feeling rather uncomfortable with this whole situation. Why had Headmistress McGonagall woken him for this? His father had told him stories of how this man, Severus Snape, had died for the greater good during the Wizard War. He had grown up learning the stories of this man, and looking at his pictures on walls. How could he be standing here?

"He… Named you after me…?" Snape whispered softly before a look of sorrow crossed his face and he finally lowered his wand.

This small lapse in focus was all that Henrietta needed.

"Stupefy!" She exclaimed hurriedly before waving her wand at Severus. Before he could turn to scold her, a beam of red light shot from her wand and hit him, square in the chest. He let out a very soft groan before falling backward against the stone floor. His body hit with a soft 'thud' and suddenly the whole castle seemed to grow silent.

"Oh gods…" Odette whispered before covering her mouth with her hands. "You were too aggressive! I hope you haven't killed him again." She exclaimed, with irritation in her fair voice as she slowly walked toward Severus. She knelt down beside him and sighed as she looked down upon him.

His face seemed so peaceful, but also like he had suffered far too much for one lifetime. His hair had clumps of dirt and dried blood in the black locks. She nervously reached out and began to pull them from his hair with gentle fingers.

"What on earth are you doing?" Henrietta huffed as she knelt down and grabbed Severus by his shoulders and pulled him up. With one, fluid motion, she had thrown the man over her right shoulder with a small grunt. "Grab his wand. I don't want him to cause any trouble in the First Aid Wing." She said impatiently as she began walking down the hallway.

"Oh… Alright." Odette said softly as she reached over and was going to grab Severus' wand. She stopped, her fingers only an inch or two from the smooth wood, but it felt strong. The magic coming from it was too much for her to handle, and she didn't want to risk anything happening. She sighed as she slid out of her black robe and folded it neatly a few times before using it to pick up the wand.

When she touched the wood, it felt like a jolt of energy rushing into her arm, even through the thick layers of fabric. She returned to her feet, just in time to see Minerva talking to young Albus.

"Albus." She said gently. "Thank you, for your help. However, I need you to do at least one more favor. You need to tell your parents what you just saw, or rather, who you just saw. It will be difficult to explain to them, but I think they would want to know."

"Headmistress, is he really the man I was named after, or just some man pretending to be?" Albus asked softly, but his face did not show fear or disbelief. He only expressed curiosity and grave concern for the well being of the man he had just seen.

"Yes, Albus, it is the man you were named after. Now, it is very late and you should get some sleep before your classes in the morning. Go on know, hurry back to your dormitory."

"Yes Headmistress." He said with a small sigh before he turned and walked back to his room.

"Headmistress, I really do not want to question your judgment, but I fear I must. I beg that you will forgive me for my words. Do you really think it was a good idea to show Mr. Potter something like that? You took him from his bed, in the dead of night… To have him meet a man who has been dead for fifteen years? That is a lot for one person to take in all at once."

"I knew that Harry would not believe me if I had told him directly. Perhaps, coming from Albus, it would seem more believable. Besides, that was not the point of my actions, Odette. I wanted to distract Severus, but in a way that would not make him bitter with us. I have never met anyone who holds a grudge like that man." Minerva said with a very tired sigh. "I aught to go help Henrietta with him, just in case he wakes up."

"I don't think he is going to wake up any time soon, Minerva. Henrietta hit him pretty hard…" Odette said quietly as she wrapped her arms around the folded robes, holding it tightly against her chest.

Without her robes, she would never pass for a professor. She wore very plain, black pants, a white shirt, a gray sweater and a tie. Her hair was currently tied back in a very neat braid down her back, but it was done very strategically.

Looking at her from any further than five feet away, one would not be able to tell that her hair was not completely white. Truth be told, her hair was mostly red, but she had learned to hide that over the years. Her parents were ashamed of what they called her 'birth defect'. They came from a very long line of pure blood wizards, and felt like her appearance 'muddied' their lineage, despite the fact that the blood was still pure.

"You clearly do not know Severus. He is one of the strongest men I have ever known. He will not be kept down for long." Minerva said with a very confident smile. She opened her mouth to speak, but before any more words could leave, there was a loud crash heard from down the hallway.

"I think… That would be Severus coming to." Minerva said with a smile. "Odette, do you think you could go and help Henrietta?" She asked before she reached out and grabbed the pile of fabric encasing Severus' wand.

"Oh, I..." Odette started to protest as Minerva took the objects from her. "I don't know. He doesn't seem to like me a whole lot."

"Don't take it personally. He doesn't like anyone." Minerva called over her shoulder as she walked away.

"Unhand me!" Severus shouted angrily from the First Aid Wing. Odette groaned and hung her head as she begrudgingly walked toward the Medical room.

The closer she got to the room, the louder the crashing and struggling got. She started to hear bits and pieces of dialogue that were oddly concerning. The words that filled her ears were things like 'Stop struggling, or this is going to hurt.' And 'Stop touching me, I do not want your hands on me.'

"What is going on in here?" Odette demanded as she finally reached the infirmary and walked in. The sight that met her gaze was not unexpected. Severus was tied down to a medical bed with leather straps. She assumed that Henrietta had put a charm upon the straps to ensure that he was kept down.

"He's awake." Henrietta huffed softly as she sat down in her chair beside the bed. Her hair was slightly askew now and she looked exhausted. "He won't take his medicine."

"I don't need any of your bloody medications!" Severus shouted angrily as he thrashed against the bindings and groaned in anguish.

"Please, Severus. You have gone through so much tonight. Why don't you just take the medication and rest-"

"I'm not taking anything." He snapped angrily before he looked at Odette, locking onto her face with his dark eyes. "I am not going to take orders from a child!"

"I am not a child, you ignorant old fool!" Odette screamed as she finally lost her cool and glared at him. "I am one of the most advanced professionals in the field of Defense Against the Dark Arts!"

"Professional? Ha! I was mastering and creating spells before you were even born. How dare you speak to me like I am some common man!"

"You aren't!" Odette cried out before she approached his bed, but stayed back. She didn't want to punch a man while he couldn't defend himself. It could wait for later. "You've come back from death. You helped win the Wizard War. Can't you see that the only reason we are doing this is because we are trying to help you? We want to help you figure out what happened to you. We want to help you figure out how you died. The people that are trying to help you are only doing so because they care!"

"Why are you helping me? You don't have any history with me!"

"I'm only doing this because Minerva asked me to! You are a cruel, selfish and all together unpleasant old man!" Odette shouted angrily. "I hope you suffer through your night, throwing up maggots and feeling every single muscle rebuilding itself, because that's what you're in store for. We are trying to give you medications to help ease the transition, but you're too stubborn to accept our help." She finished before looking over at Henrietta. "Go on and get back to bed… I will stay here and watch him. He doesn't have his wand. Even if he escapes the binds, I can knock him out again." She said with exhaustion in her voice.

"Are you sure, Odette? I could stay here with you incase something happens."

"No, I will be fine. He may be a bad person, but I don't think he's going to deliberately hurt me, not unless he really has to."

"That is a lot of trust to place in a complete stranger, Odette. Are you sure?"

"Yes. Henrietta, please go to bed." She said with a tone of dismissal in her voice.

After a few moments of hesitation, Henrietta sighed and stood up with a small groan. The sound of her knees popping could be heard when she stood. She walked out of the room fairly quickly and disappeared down the hall. Not long after, the sound of her footsteps vanished too. Odette took a deep breath before she reluctantly sat down in the steel chair beside the medical bed. She did not look over at him, but she could feel him staring at her face. The urge to punch him quickly came back, but she knew that she couldn't.

"Why would you trust me…?" He asked. His voice was much softer now and no longer rang with rage.

"I do not trust you, but Minerva does. As long as she trusts you, I will too." She said sternly before looking over at him. She regret that decision. The look on his face physically hurt her. There was a pain in her heart that she could not explain. There was such a deep agony and despair within his eyes.

As he looked upon her, he felt better than he had before. He did not notice the red streaks in her hair when he had met her earlier. He liked them. They were unique and he had never met anyone with hair quite like it, not naturally. It looked natural, but he wasn't going to ask. Her face was smooth, like porcelain and just as pale. It was almost as if someone had molded her out of clay. The up most time and concentration was taken when creating her, he could tell.

He did not like the fact that she looked so worn down. She had bags of sleep beneath her eyes and he knew it was partially his fault. Not only had he woken her in the most absurd way possible, but he had been nothing but cruel to her since his arrival. He knew that people were only trying to help, but it was hard to accept. People never wanted to help him before, except for Lily.

"What are the side effects of taking the medication?" He asked gently.

"The side effects are nausea, vomiting, light sensitivity, muscle spasms, paralysis…" Odette listed off with a small yawn that she tried to hide with a trembling hand.

"I'll take the medication if you do as well." He said sternly. "That way, I know you're not trying to poison me."

"You really think that after all this effort, we are going to try and kill you?" She groaned before looking at him. She closed her eyes and let out a small groan before nodding. "Alright. Fine. If it gets you to take the medicine, I will do it." She agreed reluctantly as she grabbed the purple bottle next to the bed. She removed the cup shaped lid and poured the thick, black liquid into it. The smell that filled the air was strong and smelled vaguely of Elderberries. She reached over and slowly brought the cup to his lips.

"Open your mouth, or I'm going to do this for you." She said tiredly as she looked at him. He shot her a glance before sighing and spreading his pale lips. She poured the liquid in and he struggled to swallow it. He couldn't remember anything quite this vile. Even the maggots from earlier did not seem so bad compared to this.

He gagged and coughed when the liquid was finally gone. He looked up at Odette, who was crinkling her nose. She clearly did not like the smell of the medication and was not looking forward to drinking it herself.

She poured a second dose of medicine and slowly lifted it to her own lips. She did not tremble or gag as the smell entered her nose. She wanted him to know that she was going to handle this way better than he was. She had a point to prove now, and he was not going to win.

"Wait." He said softly as he looked up at her.

"What?" She asked before lowering the glass.

"Don't take that. You have no idea what it is going to do to you and your healthy immune system. There's no reason that both of us have to go through this misery together."

"But… I told you that I-"

"And now I am telling you that you do not have to." He said before gagging slightly. "Oh gods…" He groaned before shaking his head. "I can already feel it. I need to sit up."

"But I can't…" She said before nodding. "Alright, but, don't do anything foolish… Subduing you with magic while you're under these effects may not end well… For you." She said, trying to smile a little bit at the end. She looked at the bonds that surrounded him and let out a sigh of relief when she realized that Henrietta did not place a charm on them.

She quickly untied the straps and helped him into a sitting position. She sat down on the side of his bed and nervously placed a hand upon his back. He still felt cold, like a corpse. She knew that it had only been an hour or two, but she wondered if he was going to stay like that forever now.

He groaned as he sat up before taking a deep, wracking breath. He turned to look at her slightly, but not fully facing her. "I am already feeling the side effects… My organs feel like they're on fire." He huffed before wrapping an arm around his stomach. "I'm going to be sick."

"Oh my, Alright!" She said hurriedly before grabbing the bucket that was beside her, beneath the nightstand. She handed it to him and nervously placed a hand upon his back.

He grabbed the bucket and held it nervously to his chest, glaring at her out of the corner of his eye, through the strands of hair that covered his face.

"I can tell that you do not like human contact, but I can't help it. I just have this urge to… Try and comfort you. You've gone through so much." She said softly before tenderly rubbing his back.

"Please, st-" He started, but his voice was cut off as he began gagging. After a few moments, there were the sounds of things hitting the bottom of the bucket, but they did not sound wet. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore the sensation of what was happening. He could feel things squirming all the way up and it made the sickness even worse. The metallic taste of blood came back to his mouth and caused him to start coughing.

"Oh gods…" Odette whispered before turning away and covering her own mouth, gagging slightly. The smell of rotting flesh and blood filled the air. It was so strong that even her eyes were starting to water.

"Why is this happening?" He managed to whisper before he started retching again. "How can all of this be inside of me? Where is this coming from? Is this a result of the medication?"

"Y-yes and no…" Odette said with a sad smile. "The nausea and vomiting are results, yes… But… Not what's coming out. Y-you were dead. Everything that is coming out, was there already. Your body is rejecting everything that was not supposed to be there. I don't know how long any of this is going to last. I've only ever read about resurgence… I did not even know it was possible."

"Neither did I…" He groaned before spitting into the bucket and leaning back, shaking his hair back from his face. "I can feel everything… I can feel it like hot lead. My muscles are forming, my brain is starting to fire normally, I remember more now… More than I remembered earlier. Everything hurts." He groaned before tightly shutting his eyes.

"Your nausea will probably be less severe if I get rid of this for now…" Odette said quietly before waving her wand and muttering something. The bucket lifted and then carried to the other side of the First Aid Wing. She thanked the stars that no one else was in here and had to endure this.

"That does help… I know I have not been the kindest person to you, but I do appreciate you staying with me." He said softly before nervously reaching over with a trembling hand.

Odette looked at his hand nervously for a moment before she gently placed hers on top of it and gently coaxed it back to the bed.

"Don't waste your strength trying to thank me. You would probably fare much better if you were to sleep through the medicated period."

"I'm not tired… I slept for so long." He groaned in a quiet protest before looking over at her. "I do have some questions for you."

"I'm not telling you anything. If half the stories I know about you are true, you could be a very feared enemy."

"Feared?" He laughed before wincing as he slowly lay back down upon the bed. He felt like she was helping him, but he couldn't tell for sure. Her touch was so soft, as if she thought that he would shatter into pieces. He hated to be treated like a delicate object, but he had to accept the fact that he had no control over that, not now. After a few moments, he could feel her re-tying the straps. He tried to lift his hands to stop her, but his wrists must have been her first priority.

"I'm sorry." She said gently as she felt him jerk against the restraints. "Henrietta would be furious with me if I let you go."

"She seems like a very hateful woman. That spell she hit me with had a great deal of power behind it."

"Henrietta has a good heart, but she's very misunderstood." Odette said with a smile. "She was the first friend I made here." She explained. "But I won't tell you any more than that, not until we know that we can trust you."

"I'm not going to sleep any time soon." He said with a small groan.

"I was afraid that you might say that." Odette said with a charming smile before she leaned over him. "That is why… I'm not going to give you a choice."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Please, forgive me." She spoke softly before taking a handful of dust out of a small, leather pouch and holding it up to her mouth. She flattened her hand, palm up and blew the dust so that it gently sprinkled his face.

"I don't want…. To…" He muttered quietly as his eyelids immediately began to feel heavy. It was not long before he was wrapped in the painless, comforting embrace of sleep.

Odette sighed as she looked at him. She felt bad about just leaving him here like this. Henrietta wasn't going to do her rounds for another hour or so yet. She knew he had a fairly high tolerance to magic and did not want him to cause a scene with no one here to stop him. He could not be seen by any of the students, not until they fully understood what was happening.

After a few moments of watching him, she decided that she couldn't leave him, not like this. If it were her, she would want company. She leaned back in her steel chair and grimaced to herself. There would be no sleeping tonight, not like there would be much time left for sleeping anyway. There could only be two or three hours left until students began roaming the halls. She sighed and looked over at him again before smiling uneasily to herself.

She found herself wondering what he would look like underneath all of the dirt and death. She finally rose from her chair and went to the nearby bathroom. She grabbed a white washcloth and turned on the sink. She waited until the water was warm before filling a small, ceramic bowl that was kept on the sink. Once filled, she returned to his side and sat in her chair. She dabbed the cloth in water before gently wiping the smears of dirt off of his pale, slender face.

She did this for far longer than she had realized. By the time she was done, his face was completely clean, and she had also brushed all of the debris out of his black hair.

Now that he looked like a man, and not a zombie, she thought that he would be rather attractive under different circumstances. As it stood, however, he had been a very horrible person and she could not wait to be rid of him.

"I wonder what Headmistress is going to do with you…" She sighed tiredly before quietly dropping her cloth into the bowl of dark water that sat upon the nightstand.

"I am going to re-instate him as our Potions teacher." McGonagall called softly. It was only after hearing her voice that Odette could hear the light footsteps approaching from behind. She turned in her chair and her cheeks flushed slightly. She always felt foolish when caught talking to herself.

"Headmistress, I-"

"Don't bother explaining yourself. I know that Severus is not everyone's cup of tea, to say the least."

"How can you be sure that he is not a danger to the students?" Odette questioned. Her face showed her obvious concern, but her voice hid it quite well.

"Severus would never harm a student." McGonagall scoffed with a small, knowing smile. "He is a dear friend of mine. I do not want to know what would become of him without Hogwarts. You really aught to show him more respect. He was Headmaster here before I was."

"He was… What? Who let that happen?" Odette gasped before looking down at Severus again. "Has he always been such a… A distant person, or has he always been like this?"

"You're being disrespectful again. He did the best he could, with the time he was given. He had lost so much in his previous life. I pray that this one makes up for his lost time."

"You always have such a bright outlook." Odette said with a smile before yawning slightly.

"Odette, you should go to bed now."

"I can't. I have a morning class on-"

"You have had a long night. I will stay and watch Severus until Henrietta returns for her shift."

"Henrietta…" Odette said suddenly. "I haven't seen her all night. Wasn't she supposed to do rounds nearly an hour ago?"

"Was, yes. I've already talked to her. He is the only one in here, and she knew well enough that you wouldn't leave willingly, so, she left you here. Besides, she said you looked very content, cleaning him up."

"Oh my, I didn't know she saw that…" She groaned softly before standing. She arched her back for a moment, trying to stretch out her stiff muscles. "Are you sure he's going to be alright?" She questioned.

"Odette, stop your worrying. You have done all you can do. Worrying about him isn't going to do you any good now, is it? Also, to reward you for your dedication in this sensitive matter, I have cancelled all of your classes for today. This should give you ample time to get some sleep and create your lesson plan for tomorrow. Does that sound fair?"

"You didn't have to do that, Headmistress. I am sure I would have been able to manage through my day."

"I am sure you would have. Odette, this is not a punishment. It is a reward. Do not be upset about missing your classes. Even teachers deserve a day off every once in a great while. Go now." She said before raising her hands to shoo Odette away with a slow hand motion. "I promise you that he will be fine with me." She said before finally sitting down in the steel chair beside the bed.

Odette stood still for a few moments before lowering her head. She knew that it wouldn't be a good idea to try and teach her classes without sleep. Despite how badly she wanted to stay awake and fulfill her obligations, she knew that she could not.

"Good night, Headmistress." Odette said, sounding rather defeated before she slowly walked from the room, and down the hall.

"When you awake, Severus, we are going to have a very long conversation." She said gently before sitting back in her chair. She could hear the very early rising students already in motion around the castle. It would not be long now until Henrietta was awake.

Minerva knew that she had some very important people to contact, and with haste.


End file.
